Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.
I mean, read this review if you want to, but seriously, if you are a fan of suspenseful stories, this is the book for you.
I’m not even sure where to start with the twists in this one.
When you think you know what is happening.
You don’t.
When you think you’ve learned all of the secrets.
You haven’t.
When you think you’ve figured out all of the lies.
You’re not even close.
This book had layers upon layers of secrets, parallel story lines with similarities in timelines, and intricate relationships that may or may not be what they seem.
However, that being said, I also am struggling to figure out how to write this review without giving away any of the plot points, because it would be a shame if readers had a heads up. This is definitely one to read without any hints.
To say that Freya and Brooke have a shaky sisterhood is an understatement. I loved the way that their issues mirrored Alice and Diana’s. It was interesting to see how the author drew the parallels but not as clearly as one would imagine.
There was also great emphasis on family loyalties and how they can be misconstrued or misplaced. The question of “does history repeat itself” came to mind a few times, but with the caveat of “do we create our own destiny by our actions.”
I know that sounds heavy, and this book is anything but that. It is crisply written, with a tight plot, and lots of twists (literally up until the very last page).
I didn’t say a lot about the plot – you can get a synopsis elsewhere. But seriously: Do. Not. Miss. This. Book.
It just rocketed towards the top of my best reads of the year.
Author Bio: USA TODAY bestselling & multi-award winning author Nicola Marsh writes feel-good fiction with a twist! She has published 68 books with Harlequin, Amazon and indie, and sold over 8 million copies worldwide. She currently writes women’s fiction/rural romance for Harper Collins Australia Mira imprint, emotional domestic suspense for Bookouture and contemporary romance for Harlequin Dare.
She’s also a Waldenbooks, Bookscan and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a RBY and National Readers’ Choice Award winner, is a multiple finalist for awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, Booksellers’ Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath, More than Magic and has won several CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Awards.
A physiotherapist for 13 years, she now adores writing full time, raising her two dashing young heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, barracking loudly for her beloved North Melbourne Kangaroos footy team, and her favourite, curling up with a good book!
I really enjoyed Summer at Orchard House, the first book in the Blue Hills series, so I was excited to see this one. This time, we get Stella’s story.
From the beginning, I was engaged in her story. I liked that she was a small-town girl who had a hunky Italian boyfriend (Paolo). At first, I thought that it would be a typical “he’s a cad and she sees the person in town she’s meant for” type of story. But the author surprised me, and quite pleasantly so.
Instead of what I mentioned, what I got was a true romance between two seemingly disparate people who knew they fit together in spite of their differences. They weren’t so much “opposites attract” as much as they just complimented each other.
Unfortunately for Stella, however, Paolo’s mother has other ideas.
I’m not going to give anything away, but the battle of wills between Stella and Rosalia was very entertaining. Each woman had insights that the other didn’t, even though they both thought they had Paolo’s best interests at heart. Italian moms do that to the extreme, though, and Rosalia was no exception.
There was humor in all of the right places as well. I laughed out loud at several scenes. Izzy’s over-reaction to an accident during a haircut was particularly amusing, as was a mad dash to the airport.
We got some swoon-worthy scenes as well, particularly toward the end. I also liked that we got an update on Carmen and Evan. That was a fantastic touch.
For an easy, pleasant read with likable characters and realistic events, you should check out this series. I look forward to more stories about Chelan and its citizens.
Ellyn Oaksmith is the USA Today and Kindle bestselling author of the Blue Hills Series, featuring the Alvarez family.
After graduating from Smith College and attaining her MFA from The American Film Institute, Ellyn began her writing career as an award-winning screenwriter in Hollywood. Her books explore the same themes as her screenplays: grit, humor, family and love.
Ellyn lives on one of Seattle’s many hills with her husband and spends as much time as possible on the water as part of a competitive rowing team.
This type of book is so far out of my usual genre that I was at first hesitant to read it. I am a long-time science fiction fan, however, and thought it would be interesting for a change of pace from what I have been reading lately.
I will say that it took me a bit to get into the story, but I’m glad that I stuck with it because not only was it good sci fi, it also produced an interesting commentary on humanity and how we all see each other.
(I think the slow start for me was due to the scientific nature of the descriptions. While they weren’t particularly technical, there was a lot of detail that I didn’t totally understand. That being said, it was written in an approachable way, so I was able to slog through those parts).
Jeremiah works for a company that has produced a drug called Meld that essentially allows for entrance into people’s minds. This same company has “perfected” cloning. In short, Jeremiah is chosen (volunteers?) to be the subject of a new experiment.
He will be cloned…exactly…and the clone will be implanted with all of Jeremiah’s memories through the use of Meld. Jeremiah will then be able to view the clone 4 hours a day while being analyzed by various scientist. The hope is that the clone will be able to easily slide seamlessly into Jeremiah’s life without anyone noticing the difference.
Right away I got a feeling of foreboding because the premise addresses a basic fear that many people carry: how do people really see me? Do they recognize me as me? Do they know me well enough to realize if they’re talking to someone other than me?
Do we ever really know each other?
All of these questions kept going through my head as I read through Jeremiah’s viewing sessions. It was fascinating to see his change in perspective as he pondered the same questions while realizing that he was guilty of the same things that he was getting upset at other people about.
One moment in particular, regarding an office mate who planned all of the office celebrations, was especially poignant. I think it hit me because I’m usually that person – making sure that others are recognized.
But do people ever think to recognize the organizer? Or do they remain invisible and taken for granted. I think this is the turning point for Jeremiah.
There are some subplots about military interest in the project and the fate of people who may or may not recognize that Jeremiah has “changed” but honestly, they didn’t play a huge part for me. They seemed more there for plot twists than for actually moving the plot along. I also thought the ending seemed a bit rushed.
Regardless, I thought the author really did a good job of using cloning as a mechanism for a human to take stock of what matters in life while ultimately realizing the importance of recognizing – and truly seeing – the humanity in each of us.
Twitter: @JANEGILMARTIN3 Instagram: imadj123
About the Author:
Jane Gilmartin has been a news reporter and editor for several small-town weekly papers and enjoyed a brief but exciting stint as a rock music journalist. A bucket list review just before she turned 50 set her on the path to fiction writing. Also checked off that list: an accidental singing career, attending a Star Trek convention, and getting a hug from David Bowie. She lives in her hometown of Hingham, Massachusetts.
I enjoyed this author’s Someone Else’s Daughter, so I was looking forward to this one. It’s safe to say that this was a very different read from the previous book I read.
I will say that I feel the author improved her writing style. In the first book there were linguistic choices that were inaccurate. I didn’t find any of those here, which enabled me to enjoy the story without being jarred out of it.
I’ll also give the author credit for helping me realize something about my own reading preferences. I now know that unreliable narrators are not my favorite type (most of the time), mainly because I like to be off-balance on my own terms, not due to a character’s fallibility.
That being said, it’s a very interesting premise. Evie’s dad goes missing and then is found dead (that’s not a spoiler). As a result, her brother, Ethan, returns to town. He’s been gone for 20 years…in prison for allegedly killing Evie’s boyfriend, Michael.
Evie has amnesia centered around the events of that time, so her memories are unreliable. Actually, it’s more than that. She has full on blackouts where she’s in the present, but not really. From the descriptions, it sounds like she goes fairly catatonic.
It soon becomes apparent that the people around her are contributing to her confusion, sometimes in nefarious ways. She soon doesn’t know who to trust, whose recollections are accurate, and what actually happened to Michael.
I will say that I had a feeling as to what had happened and why the characters took the actions that they did. But I also think that some readers will not see it coming or might think that the resolution is something different.
I liked that the author wrote it in such a way that it could reach different styles of reader (if that makes sense). I’m one of those who likes to try to outguess the author. I know others are simply along for the ride the author takes them on. Both are okay, and both styles of reader will find this book engaging.
Jennifer Harvey is a Scottish writer now living in The Netherlands. She is the author of three novels. Her short stories have been published in numerous literary magazines in the US and the UK, such as Bare Fiction, Litro Online, Carve Magazine, Folio, and The Lonely Crowd.
She has been shortlisted for various short story prizes including the Bristol Prize, the University of Sunderland Short Story Award and the Bridport Prize. Her radio dramas have won prizes and commendations from the BBC World Service. She has been longlisted twice for the Bath Novel Award.
This was one of the slowest burn stories I have read in a very long time. It was an interesting juxtaposition, because at times it was very effective and at others it dragged the story down. It was almost like reading two different versions of the same story.
On the one hand, it was a fascinating look at the destruction of a family in the face of a terrible tragedy. Ava feels guilt for what she sees as her part in the disappearance of her daughter. No amount of time or events, including a newborn son, helps her get over the questions she has about the day everything changed.
The first half of the book belongs largely to her as she navigates trying to keep herself together. There are hints and clues along the way that not everything is as it seems, and by the time we get to the titular housewarming, it is obvious that there is a lot more to Abi’s disappearance.
The author is very methodical in plotting this first half out so that the facts of the day (or what Ava thinks are the facts) are clear in the reader’s mind. The claustrophobic feeling that people often experience after a tragedy is well-described and highly accurate. It’s important, because once the party happens, things get really topsy-turvy.
In the second half of the book, in spite of the new information that comes to light, there seemed to be a lot more passages of characters’ inner monologues. This is where I thought the plotting dragged a little bit. As Ava starts to put things together, I wanted there to be a bit more action.
For me, one of the things that kept it from completely flowing was that the action shifted back and forth between the day Abi disappeared and the present – but there were no signifiers like “Ava- Then” or “Matt-Now.” The shifts therefore took me some time to adjust and reset to which time period I was in.
By the time we get to the actual reveal, I had a suspicion as to what it would be. The author did a good job dropping a few red herrings that had me thinking other options (I like when an author guides that branching out of thinking). But kudos also, because just when I thought it was all wrapped up, there were second, third, and even fourth endings.
This was effective because even in the face of tragedy, things can always go even more sideways. And this story certainly did. I thought it got a little bit preachy at the end when Ava was realizing how much goes unnoticed in people’s lives, but in a way, it fit her overall realization of the truth.
I almost feel like this was more of psych twist on the reader than the characters. And that’s a good enough reason to pick this one up.
Facebook: S E Lynes Author Twitter: @SELynesAuthor Instagram: @S E Lynes Author
Author Bio:
Former BBC Producer, S.E. Lynes is the Amazon best selling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’, ‘beautifully written’ psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER? and her latest novel, THE HOUSEWARMING, available for pre-order NOW.
After completing her MA, Lynes taught creative writing at Richmond Adult Community College for over ten years. She now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing.
She has also published three children’s books in Italy: IL LEOPARDO LAMPO, LA COCCODRILLA INGAMBA, and the bilingual LA SCIMMIA SPIRITOSA/THE FUNNY MONKEY, all available at Amazon.it
Once again, I was interested to find a historical fiction novel with a different point of view than others. This time, I learned about what it was like to be a nurse during WWII. Right off the bat, it was apparent that the author knew the subject matter.
The details of the main characters’ scenes in hospital and the various wards were plentiful. In some ways, they were the most interesting parts to me. The rest of the story was good, but I really felt the author’s voice coming through most clearly in the nursing scenes.
I liked the two main characters. I thought Mac and Jo were individuals and their personalities were distinct. Where they ended up working fit them well.
Buy Link: https://bit.ly/2FtbZFc
While I understand that the author had to have a twist for the plot, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about Mac’s injury and subsequent memory loss. It felt a little too contrived to me. But I liked how the women cared for and supported each other.
I did feel like there were also times where the author wasn’t sure where to go or what to have the characters doing. The story didn’t always feel linear, it sometimes wandered. That’s not a bad thing, but don’t expect a straight A to B plot.
Again, the scenes that were war- and/or nurse-centered were the strongest, and they’re ultimately what made me really enjoy this book. I like it when an author can imbue characters with realistic knowledge that makes them more human.
Author Bio: A change in circumstance meant Kate Eastham made the shift from a career in nursing to being a carer for her partner. Determined to make the most of this new role ‘working from home’ and inspired by an in-depth study of the origins of nursing, she wrote her first novel at the kitchen table. Miss Nightingale’s Nurses was published by Penguin in 2018, closely followed by three more in the series. With her passion for history, Kate aims to make visible the lives of ordinary yet extraordinary women from the past. Her current historical fiction is set during the World Wars and will be published by Bookouture.
One of the things that I noticed right from the beginning of this story is that the author had a way of writing that was familiar. Not in the sense of I’ve read her before, but more like this was a book in an already established series.
It was very conversational as if we were joining the characters and already should know about them. When I first realized that I thought that it would make me feel lost, but it didn’t. The author was confident in the descriptions and interactions, and I was able to just drop right in. I liked it.
I also liked the entire set up. An FBI agent with a past history in the town that she has to visit due to a case which is similar to a serial killer she has been trying to catch. I thought it was a good “in” and didn’t feel like that connections (to the town and its residents) were forced.
The case itself was interesting because in some ways it paralleled with her serial killer just enough to keep her questioning. But it also dealt with regular family issues and town dynamics. It was a nice balance – if that can be said about a crime investigation.
I thought that our heroine, Nikki, was very human. She knew that she had a job to do, but she naturally felt reticence for returning home because of past events. She’d worked hard to “compartmentalize” (she uses that a lot) and being back in town, talking with old friends (and enemies) made it more difficult.
I think we can all relate that it’s easier to forget about things when they aren’t staring us right in the face. Distance can be a great buffer for that as well.
There were a few times that I felt her personal life too over a bit too much, but that was because I wanted to get on with the investigation. I appreciated that the author took the time to remind us that Nikki was just human and facing a lot of memories (so I can’t complain too much about that).
All in all, it was a strong opening to a new series and I look forward to seeing where Nikki goes next.
Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.
Having read two other books by the author, it was natural for me to read this one as well. While Beyond the Horizon still remains the better book, it was neat to receive more information on the story that was begun in Paris Time Capsule.
This time, we start with Anna who is quite happy running her café in San Francisco. Her grandfather, Max, doesn’t talk much about his past – until one day he reveals a long-held secret. This sends Anna off to a castle in Germany to fetch something that Max left behind when he had to leave suddenly with the rise of Hitler and the onset of WWII.
As with the first book in the trilogy, it’s an interesting set up. The time period is rich with places, people, and events to build stories upon. It’s not hard to imagine that are still millions of stories to be told from that time.
I did like how the author tied the characters from the first book into this one and how the stories intertwined. It was a nice through-line.
As with the first book, there is a slight issue with language and the writing style. It doesn’t seem as if the writer gained the confidence in style that shows up in Beyond the Horizon. There were also a few minor issues that caught me, such as Anna referring to her “flat” when she lives in San Francisco (should be apartment).
But the story is engaging, it’s a nice throughline from the first book, and I look forward to reading the last in the trilogy to see how it all wraps up.
Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.
Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.
Might as well say it up front. If you’re a fan of Dan Brown and Steve Berry, you do not want to miss this new series. Father Marco Venetti is as unlikely a hero as Robert Langdon. But where Langdon uses his smarts, Father Marco has a different set of skills.
He’s still plenty smart and wily, but he’s also a former member of the Italian Navy (having been rewarded its highest award for valor. His military skills aren’t much needed in his small coastal parish.
But when his former lover shows up with tales of kidnapping and human trafficking, he cannot resist helping her. And it’s a good thing he does. From the very opening scenes aboard her boat this book kept me hooked; the action never completely let up. Even in between the heavy action scenes, there was still tension.
I thought that the choice of main character was interesting because he was fighting an internal war between his vows/faith, his dedication to Elena, and the task at hand. And boy, is that a good one. The title of the book pretty much tells you what it is.
In light of current world situations, and with what happened at Notre-Dame last year, this was a very timely topic. It was well-researched and detailed with enough information to make it plausible and not just “Hollywood” thriller.
Honestly, I don’t want to give anything away. I enjoyed this book because I didn’t read anything about it before – I went from the description and the title. Sometimes I think it’s better that way.
As I said at the outset, if you are a fan of Dan Brown, you definitely want to get in on the ground floor of this exciting new series.
Peter Hogenkamp was born in upstate New York and attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. (Go Crusaders!) He graduated in 1986 and was exiled to Europe for three years by his premedical adviser, for which he will be grateful the rest of his days. Spending the next three years – supposedly – teaching chemistry and algebra in Salzburg, Austria, he traveled extensively, drank a lot of beer and made many a lifelong friend. In his travels, he found dozens of great places for scenes in a thriller: castles perched on cliffs; monasteries tucked away in alpine valleys; villages built above rocky coastlines; cities soaked in history. When he isn’t writing or hiking with his strong-willed Cairn Terrier, Hermione, Peter practices medicine with his lovely wife, Lisa (who does most of the heavy lifting), hosts Your Health Matters, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast, and tends to the needs of his four children.
